1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electroacoustic transducers employed in sonar systems, and more particularly to an electroacoustic transducer capable of accommodating multiple sonar beams.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sonar systems utilize narrow beams of sound energy projected in certain desired directions from a marine vehicle, and receive reflected energy from these directions, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,638 for Doppler Navigation Systems, issued to Jack Kritz and Seymour D. Lerner in 1966. Conventionally, these beams are produced by vibrating piezoelectric discs with diameters that are large compared to the wavelength of the soundwave propagated or to be received. When multiple beams are utilized, the transducer assembly must be enlarged to accommodate the multiplicity of necessary elements. Multiple beam transducers of the prior art create installation difficulties, particularly on small ships, and provoke increased installation costs due to larger gate valves and stronger required structural supports. Thus, there is a need for relatively compact multiple beam transducers that will facilitate installation and mitigate attendant costs.